Improvement in machines for dressing eyeglass-frames



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. F. J. NOEOHEL. Machine for Dressing Eyeglass-Frames.

Patented April 29,1879.

ZZVZYYZZJK %,M MMW/ N.FETER8. PHOTO LHMQGRAPH 2 Sheets-Sheet; 2.

P. J. NOEGHEL. 1

g Machine forDress ing Eyeglass-Frames. No. 214.786. I Patented April29,1879.

' figi gg twain a is " UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRA'NK J. NOEOHEL, OF ROOHESTER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR DRESSING EYEGLASS -FRAMES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No 214,786, dated April29,1879; application filed March 12, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. NoEcHEL, of the city of Rochester, in thecounty of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Machines for Dressing Eyeglass-Frames; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the construction and operation of the same,'referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan ofmy improved machine, showing the gate carrying the pattern swungpartially open. Fig. 2 is afront elevation of the same with the gatebroken away. Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the gate in place. Figs.4, 5, 6, 7 8, and 9 are detail views.

My improvement relates to means for dressing 7 or smoothing the framesof eyeglasses. Such work has usually been done by hand. It is my objectto do the same by machinery in an expeditious and perfect manner.

The invention consistsin the construction and arrangement of partshereinafter more fully described and definitely claimed.

My machine works on the principle of the lathe for turning irregularforms, a pattern being used which, in revolving, guides the frameproperly to the cutter. 1

A represents the frame, which may be of any convenient form. Bis theswinging gate, which is pivoted at a to the frame, and has a spring orweight so combined with the hinge as to throw the gate open. 0, Figs. 1and 4, is a catch for holding the gate closed. It slides through abearing, b, and is attached to a spring, 0, which draws it back. At thefront end it has a lug, d, which, when the catch is drawn out by thehandle f, catches over the end of the gate and holds it closed.

.The means for releasing the catch will be presently described.

9 g are two short shafts in the frame A, driven, respectively, bypulleys h h These shafts are in the same line, and the upper one isdesigned to run rapidly, while the lower one runs slowly.

iis the cutter on the upper shaft, g, which dresses the edge of theeyeglass-frame. k is a roller on the end of the lower shaft, againstwhich runs the guiding-pattern, and l is a ively, with the roller 70 andpinion l, as before described, while the eyeglassframe, which is placedupon the pattern m, comes in line with the cutter i.

The frame fits upon a central circular collar, I

q, of the pattern, while the circular handle or finger-piece rests upona round stud, 'r.

Inside the collar q are two sliding blocks, 8 s, Fig. 5, which areexpanded out laterally to clamp or tighten the frame in place. Theseblocks have eccentric grooves t t, in which fit corresponding studs u aof a circular piece, 'u,

Fig. 6, that rests on top of the pattern. This piece has a handle, '10,by which it is turned, and the piece or cam is clamped in place on thepattern by a nut, a, resting on a thread cut on the upper end of theshaft 12.

By turning the cam in one direction or the other, the blocks willbecorrespondingly moved out or in.

The upper portion of the pattern on which the frame rests is of a littleless diameter than the lower portion, to enable the edges of the cutterto cut around the curved edges of the frame.

The irregular gear 0 is cut with teeth yy on the sides and ends, asshown in Fig. 7, leaving blanks z z, and it has on one side, next thesmaller end, a single tooth, y. This tooth is the point that firstengages with the pinion I when the gate is closed. This imparts a rotarymotion to the gear in the direction indicated by the arrow, and thepinion then falls into the curved space or blank 2.

e e e are arms attached to the pinion l, and j j j are pins projectingup from the gear. When the pinion falls into the curved blank abovenamed, one of the arms strikes the pinj atthat end, as shown in Fig. 7,and pushes the gear bodily outward, so that the teeth at the small endof the gear will be brought wise against the arm, and when the end ofthe gear is brought into engagement with the pinion, as just described,the pin passes through the notch, and is free, allowing the gear to moveon. The opposite end is arranged in the same manner, having two pinsinstead of one. Those portions of the eyeglass-frame which rest againstthe nose, and to which the spring is' attached, are not dressed, and thearrangements of the teeth upon the gear are made relatively to this, andthe pattern at has also an offset or ridge, N, to prevent the edge ofthe frame striking the cutter at such point.

0 and d are two pivoted rock-arms attached to the gate, as shown in Fig.3. These two arms are connected by a stifi" rod,f at the bottom. Theupper end of rock-arm d is connected with the shaft 02 by a cord, 9which winds upon said shaft when it is turned. The upper end of arm (1is retracted by a spring, h The upper end of arm rests opposite to thelug d, and when thrown out presses said lug off from the gate andreleases the latter, so that it can swing open. This occurs only when afull revolution of the gear has taken place, and the cord is then woundup. As soon as the gate is opened the reaction of the cord turns thepattern and gear around to receive a new frame, and also throws therockarm back, so that the catch can re-engage with the gate.

Various modifications might be made. A movable carriage might beemployed in place of the gate. A gear might be employed in place of thearms a and pins j, and the machine might be used verticallyinstead ofhorizontally; or the pinion and cutter might be made to travel aroundthe pattern and gear, thus reversing the motion, but producing a similareffect.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim herein as new is- 1. Inamachine for dressing eyeglass-frames: the combination, with the cutteri, guide-roller 7c, and pinion l, resting on the separate shafts g g, ofthe irregular gear 0 and pattern m, of the same form as theeyeglass-frame to be dressed, attached to a separate shaft, n, whichmoves up and back on a swinging gate or carriage, the pattern bearing onits top the eyeglass-frame p, the whole so arranged, as described, thatthe gear 0 engages with the pinion l, the pattern at with the roller 70,and the eyeglass-frame p with the cutter i, as shown and described, andfor the purpose specified.

2. The irregular gear 0, corresponding in form to the pattern m,constructed with the teeth 3 y y y on the sides and ends, withintervening blank spaces, 2 z z z, and provided with the tooth 3 asshown and described, and

for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the pinion land irregular gear m, of the arms 06 upon the pinion and the pins j j upon the gear, or equivalent, for thepurpose of pushing the gear from the pinion, to produce re-engagementover the blank spaces of the gear, as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with the pattern m, of the blocks 8 s, sliding insaid pattern, provided with the eccentric grooves t t, and the cam o,

provided with pins or studs u a, engaging with said grooves, as and forthe purpose specified.

5. The combination, with the frame A and swinging gate B, of the slide0, with catch-d and the spring 0, as shown and described, and for thepurpose specified.

6. The combination, with the catch 0, provided with the lug d, of therock-arms 0 (1 connected by a stiff rod, f at the bottom, and a cord,connecting with the pattern-shaft, so that the turning of said shaftwill disengage the catch and release the gate automatically, as and forthe purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANK J. NOEOHEL.

Witnesses:

R. F. Oseoon, JACOB SPAHN.

